Christian Dean

A highly-rated left-footed centreback, Christian Dean joined Whitecaps FC on January 16, 2014 after being selected third overall in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft. The East Palo Alto, California resident signed a Generation adidas contract with MLS on January 8, 2014. Prior to joining Whitecaps FC, Dean spent three seasons with California Golden Bears, where he started all 55 of his appearances.

COLLEGE

2013: In his third season with the Golden Bears, Dean earned All Pac-12 and NSCAA Far West Region first-team honours after anchoring a California defence that allowed 21 goals in as many matches and recorded seven clean sheets, en route to an Elite Eight finish at the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament. The 6-foot-3, 198-pound defender also chipped in with one goal and four of the six assists he registered during his tenure at the University of California, Berkeley. His lone goal was a free-kick tally in a 3-2 win over UCLA on October 13. 2012: As a sophomore, Dean was an All Pac-12 honourable mention after starting all 18 of the team’s matches and playing a key part in their four clean sheets. 2011: In his first collegiate season, Dean started all 16 of his appearances and picked up two assists for his first points as a collegian.

INTERNATIONAL
Dean trained with the United States U-20 men's national team in early 2012.

HIGH SCHOOL
Prior to his collegiate career, Dean spent time honing his skills with the Palo Alto Football Club, Santa Clara Sporting FC and De Anza Force Soccer Club, with whom he was a co-captain for the U-18 side. He was named to National Academy Select 93 teams in 2009 and 2010 and won the 2010 New York Red Bulls National High School Cup with the West team.

PERSONAL
Dean was a social welfare major at the University of California, Berkeley. His adoptive parents are William and Elizabeth Brown-Dean and his half-brother, Josh Huestis, plays basketball at Stanford. Dean joined his first soccer team when he was four years old, at which time he also began playing baseball. He has a tattoo of a lighthouse on his forearm dedicated to his late grandmother.